Darkened
by LoyalSlytherclaw
Summary: Liriel has been let free after she served her sentence in the dungeons, but things are never as they seem. Are they about to get worse? Sequel to burned.
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry for complicated trilogy thing, but this story isn't in avengers or hobbit sooo yeah. Anyway, moving on to Dark World goodness, I actually have this dvd so grinning mcgrins grins. I am so glad I pre-ordered that dvd.**

The sentence had been swift, and though Loki had his whole life in the dungeons, Liriel was let out after a year, guilty of little in Odin's eyes, at least compared to his adopted son.

So she now wandered Asgard's halls, unable to visit Loki for now, having only been able to sneak in on occasion, for the dungeons were well guarded.

She had been stopped over books of magic for her first few months free, a greater understanding of the subject gladdening her a little, for it had helped her to see Loki on those few occasions she could.

Eventually, she made her way to the training yard, curious of the art of swordsmanship once more, she had begun meeting the Lady Sif for training. The soldiers eyed Liriel warily as she approached the chest where her sword was kept, all too aware of her sentence, as was everyone in Asgard.

And all too aware of the wings on her back.

Before stepping into the sparring ring Liriel sighed, not bothering to look at Sif as she worshipped her blade with appreciative eyes. She had grown rusty in her time away from such weapons, though the basic skills would always stay with her. "He still doesn't trust me, I assume."

Sif sighed, not having to ask who 'he' meant, having been used to the maiden referring to the Allfather as such. "You know very well the Allfather has no reason , fight."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Eventually, the women panted, exhausted from their spar.

"Stale mate?" Liriel offered.

Sif nodded, and they pulled away, drinking from their respective waterskins and wiping the sweat from their brows.

Hearing merry chortling and some claps, Liriel looked aside to see Voulstagg. "A good duel! None have bested the Lady Sif in combat for a long time!"

"Stalemate." They both deadpanned simultaneously, to the amusement of the rotund, yet fit, man.

"Either way, it was a good fight miladies."

"Did you come for something Voulstagg? You're usually to be found in the kitchens or the food hall." Liriel stated, causing the man to grin at the reminder of food.

"Ah, yes. Sif, my friend, Thor requires our presence for a strategy meeting relating to the upcoming battle in Vanaheim."

Sif inclined her head. "Thank you Voulstagg, I'll come as soon as I am ready."

Nodding, the warrior left, in search of Thor to relay the message, assumedly.

"That was good." Sif remarked. "I think I have given you all the training I can in this area. I must make haste, but tell me if you should ever want to be taught the skills of weaponry have talent."

As Sif hurried away, Liriel approached the chest, having a terrible feeling in her gut as she put the sword down, strangely unwilling to part with it today.

Casting subtle looks at the guards, she made an illusion of her sword to be set in the chest, concealing the real thing on her person and hurrying away to have a bath herself.

Her intuition, on the occasions she got it, was never wrong, and if it foreboded the need of her sword, she sure as hell wasn't refusing its desire.

She had armour of choose, though it had to be custom made because of her wings, the chest was covered, and the majority of her back, except the place her wings were. Instead, her wings got a light casing of their own, which had taken awhile to get used to, a slither of skin exposed where they had to make room for the little nubs that protruded out of her back, left unarmored so that they could still rotate and sink back into her flesh, the lower and upper points of her wings ending in sharp points.

Her legs too were encased, and her feet, though the metal had to be enchanted to deal with the heat she'd throw off if angered or if it was in need of use, by queen Frigga herself, which is where Liriel was headed after she cleaned up. For she had most graciously offered to tutor her in magic, noting the interest and ability the maiden possessed, perhaps reminding her of Loki and how she had tutored him once.

"My queen." Liriel bowed, her metal encased wings resting around her in supplication. She respected Thor's mother deeply.

Frigga chuckled. "You can call me Frigga if you wish, Liriel. I will hold no crime against you."

"And that will hold you in the same regard as Odin, I call you mother in mind, and mother you shall remain to me always. But as I was not raised by you, it would be inappropriate for me to do so."

Raising her head, she saw Frigga smile. "And you may call me that, if you wish it. For now, though, it must be rather uncomfortable on the floor, and we must discuss your magical capabilities."

Nodding, Liriel stood, brushing herself off in habit. "My illusions are well, after an effort as instructed. And though it does get stilted from nerves sometimes, I can mould the elements to my will if I wish, my queen."

She had her own studies she wished to do of course, but she didn't wish to trouble the queen who had helped her so.

"You know the art of the dagger?" Liriel asked, already knowing the answer, more statement than question in truth.

She smiled. " Did Loki tell you?"

Liriel became wary, merely nodding. "What of it? We were close."

"You remind me of him sometimes, and I don't know whether to be glad of it or not. Don't tread the same path." Frigga's eyes were imploring.

Liriel inclined her head. "I will try."

"It is the best you can do." She replied, moving to a brazier.

"Would you like to visit him?" The kindly woman turned.

A smile burst upon Liriel's lips, and she hugged the woman, careful to keep her wings and their terrible points away from the queen.

"You can do that?" She asked happily.

"Of course. All you need to do is project yourself, your mind, into his cell. The guards will never know."

"I'll leave you in peace than, I think he would like being alone with you."

"I'll ask. You never know with Loki." She reasoned, nodding soon after.

"I didn't tell him who it was,but you can come if you wish."

"Thank you!" Liriel was radiant, putting her mind forth into the cell.

OoooOoOo

Forgetting for a moment that she couldn't, Liriel tried to hug him, barely feeling a thing as she looked sadly at the raven haired son of Frigga.

"Hey Loki."

"You've come with mother this time." He noted. "Have you been caught sneaking into the dungeons?"

Liriel blushed. "Er, not exactly Loki."

"Ah." He looked amused as he nodded. "How has Asgard been treating you? Wary eyeing off? Hands reaching for swords when you pass?" He drilled.

"When I trained with Sif it was a bit like that. Still will be probably. I only wish you were out."

"As do I." He said warily eyeing his mother in the background. "You've finished training?"

"With swords at least. I've awhile to go yet Loki."

He nodded, and Liriel could tell by the look in his eyes he wished to say something, but his mother was holding him back.

"Guards are coming." Frigga said suddenly. "i am sorry Loki."

Liriel was hesitant to leave. "Loki, I-"

"Go."

OoOoOoOoOo

Liriel came back to herself as the guards appeared in the room.

"My queen." The guard inclined his head. "Forgive me, but the Lady Liriel must be back in her rooms by sunset, by the will of Odin."

"I will make sure of it." Frigga nodded.

Looking uncomfortable, the guards left with a "Farewell."

Frigga turned to the winged maiden once she was sure the guards were not in hearing range.

"You've snuck into the dungeons?"

The brunette smiled sheepishly. "I highly doubt the guards would let me through, or Odin permit it. I just want to visit Loki, when I can."

"Be careful." Frigga warned.

" I always am." Liriel reassured, smiling softly as she dipped her head, excusing herself as she vanished to her room, and as she lay asleep for the night, she couldn't help but wonder at the burning urgency in Loki's eyes, the need to tell her something.

The need to warn her.


	2. Chapter 2

Those eyes haunted her until she slept.

Darkness was behind her lids, and at first, she didn't know she was dreaming, until she felt a sudden longing. She moved forward, unable to stop, drawn in, her steps against the stone the only sound in that place, in what she soon realised was a passage or corridor of some sort.

There was something at the end, something she needed to get to, and soon.

_Hurry, the door is closing. Hurry! Make haste! Go!_

The voices reverberated in her head, echoing a symphony of pleas and desperate cries. Her time was running out.

She woke up then, a sheen of sweat on her brow, restless.

The dream still haunting her, she got up, finding to her discomfort that it was night still.

She was jolted awake more than before however, to note a strange portal like thing, made of shadow and rimmed with purple flame, something as of yet unseen in its her courage, Liriel walked to the thing, albeit tentatively, nothing behind the portal save the corner it was in, or so she found when she circled it.

Gazing at it now in wonder, she was entranced by the lazily dancing flames of purple along the edge, hovering a hand but a small distance away, trailing her fingers in the flames, eyes steadily roaming closer to the black, which made her freeze in fear.

Inside, was a corridor, lit only by moonlight, a door, close but immeasurably far away in sight, and reaching a hand into the portal in a moment of unstoppable madness, the maiden was shocked to feel the stone under her fingers, her palm.

Gulping, the Daughter of Song summoned her armour and sword, stepping through into the space beyond. It was a rather foreboding place, she decided.

Casting her eyes to the door at the end of the passage, she moved forward, holding her breath as the door became larger, reaching forward with a shaking hand she came in contact only to feel...nothing. Her hand went straight through.

"All is illusion."

The voice was dark, evil and foreboding, having no apparent source, causing Liriel to retract her hand as if burned, although it stuck, and she pulled at it desperately now, even going so far as to employ her other hand to her arm to yank it out, to no avail.

Casting her stressed eyes to the source of the moonlight, she found the passage, or corridor, or whatever it was, had indeed no windows or arches of any sort, though when she blinked they were there again, grinning down at her, mocking her fragile mind.

"All is real."

Her mind spinning, the door became such that she could pull her hand out again, staring with fearful eyes and rotating in circles in order to see her hidden companion, for better or worse.

"You must decide."

Her breathing came out in rough pants now.

"What is real?"

When she turned, Liriel saw a man of shadow, with intense, burning eyes and a feral grin of sharp fangs.

"What, is illusion?"

Eyes wide in terror, Liriel screamed, rushing out of the portal with a blanched face and trembling like a leaf, darting her gaze around her room in terror.

Eyeing the portal, she grew afraid once more, casting as many protective enchantments she could think of, rushing out of her room as quick as a flash, all the while chanting the phrase "It's not safe, where is safe?" In her mind.

At last, after running up many flights of steps, Liriel skidded to a halt in front of a door, and a sense of home and safety came from it.

"This is safe, this is safe." She chanted, hastily slipping inside and locking the door, casting the protective enchantments again, sagging in relief when she was done, resting her head against the floor in relief from where she was stooped.

Raising her head, the winged maiden turned, or shuffled really, around, deciding to examine her location with the help of magic.

The room was decorated in green and gold, rather large, with another room, presumably the bathing chamber, off to the left, and the bed was huge, and there were many shelves littered with books in the runic script of Asgard, which, thankfully, Liriel had learned.

Squinting, the title of a nearby book, a text on magic, caused her to gasp in astonishment, fitting the pieces together at last.

She was in Loki's room.


End file.
